Classroom

Vernon Social was renovated to its current state in 2017, but historically the space has looked very different. In the space where Vernon Social currently stands was the chapter house of the Phi Psi chapter of Alpha Chi Rho, more commonly know on campus as Crow. By the building's entrance is a plaque commemorating the former fraternity house. The plaque reads, "Here stood, from 1940-1955, the fraternity house of the Phi Psi chapter of Alpha Chi Rho, a brotherhood of athletes and scholars, all of whom were men who loved Trinity." The fraternity is now located nearby at 106 Allen Place.

Vernon Social is a large joint student center and residence hall space located at 114 Vernon Street on the Trinity College campus in Hartford, Connecticut. Vernon Social is home to a myriad of viewing events throughout the year such as Super Bowl and VMA viewing parties. The space is also the location for number of annual events held by student organizations such as Trinity College Black Women's Organization's (TCBWO) 'Sex, Milk, and Cookies' and Encouraging Respect of Sexualities' (EROS) Annual Drag Show. As of October 2019, the space is also home to local eatery 'Steve's Bagels'.


Vernon Social Center at Trinity College

This tour was created by the students in AMST-306: Imagining Digital Humanities in Fall semester of 2019. Please contribute to this tour (add and revise entries) to help us increase the histories of the College available to the public.

Trinity College Campus Tour

Admin

Bishop Brownell attended Union College in upstate New York, where he graduated as valedictorian in 1804. He then taught at the college. In 1816, he was admitted into the Holy Order of Deacons and soon entered Priesthood later that year. In 1818, he became the assistant at Trinity Church in New York. He assumed the title Reverend Thomas Brownell, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut. In 1823, he founded Washington College, the original Trinity campus in Bushnell Park. In 1845, the college changed its name to Trinity College, the second college in Connecticut. Bishop Brownell lived on until 1865. The Brownell Statue was a gift to Trinity College from Bishop Brownell’s son-in-law. It was originally meant to stand over his grave, but his family felt it would be better off standing over the college he founded. The statue was designed by Chauncey Bradley Ives in Rome and cast by Ferdinand von Miller Foundry in Munich. The price of the statue at the time was around $3,500, or $10,000 in gold. The price of the pedestal was $5,000.  On November 11, 1869, the opening ceremony for the statue was conducted at the original Washington Campus by Bishop Williams, Bishop Potter, the president of the College, and C.F. Cleveland, the former governor of Connecticut. It moved to the Trinity campus in 1878. Brownell’s pose resembles an orator, designed to look like he has authority over the people he is talking to. The 30 foot statue is wearing an official clergy outfit and holding a prayer book. The Brownell Statue has become a staple landmark of Trinity College as many gatherings occur under his shade, including Convocation and Commencement. A Student at Trinity College is quoted: “he is the symbol of the beginning and the end of our time at Trinity College.”

Bishop Brownell founded Trinity College in 1823, creating the second college in Connecticut after Yale University. He was born in 1779 and lived until 1865. The statue was dedicated to Brownell on November 11, 1869 at the original Trinity campus, formerly known as the Washington campus. It now stands at the center of the current campus, right in front of the chapel on the quad. 

Brownell Statue 

During the first century of Trinity College's campus existing, there were 3 chapels present on campus. In the first chapel, located on the old Trinity campus in downtown Hartford at the state capitol, William Mather, now a well known name on campus, carved his name into the chapel walls. In 1874, he was fined $1 for the vandalism on the chapel on behalf of the faculty of the college. Fifty four years later, Mather, in a conversation with Remsen Ogilby, President of the college at the time, discussed building a new chapel for the campus. It is said that Mather asked for $1 for the new chapel, to get his dollar back from when he was fined, in spite of his previous fine. The chapel was designed by Philip H. Frohman, Robb, and Little, architects of the Washington Cathedral, and stands at 163 feet, made is made of limestone. It contains thousands of small details, whether obvious or hidden, the Chapel has unique qualities that make it the icon for Trinity College that it is today. The chapel is well known for it's wood carvings that line the pew endings in the interior of the chapel and for its stain-glass structures, which shine colorfully when the sunlight hits. Many of the pew ends were donated by certain people or groups, and have meaning portrayed in their intricate carvings. For example, the "Washington Pew End" was given by the class of 1932 at the time of graduation which was the "Washington bi-centennial year" and shows an image of an eagle looking at the British coat-of-arms, a Continental soldier, and a fox. From back end of the chapel, you see the rose window high up on the front wall. It is dedicated to the Mothers of Trinity men. Each glass has a religious symbol, and in the middle is the Virgin Mary holding with the Holy child, as known in the Christian religion. Under the rose window is the large organ, lofted onto the furthest wall. There are approximately 4,070 pipes controlled by 65 stops, some of those pipes coming from the previous Trinity Chapel in Seabury Hall. Home of the Office of Spiritual and Religious Life and the Chapel Music Program, the chapel stands as a historical landmark in the city of Hartford and a constant symbol for the college. It's a space used by many groups, religious and non-religious, throughout the community for various events, gatherings and services. Reverend Allison Read joined Trinity in 2008 as College Chaplain. She is an Episcopal Priest of the New York diocese in 2003. She is the second woman Chaplain for the college.

Completed in 1933, the iconic gothic structure sits on a hill near the center quad of the Trinity College campus in Hartford, Connecticut. In 1928 the construction began and in 1932 the chapel was completed. Its long row of pews, detailed with wood carvings, sit below intricate stain glass windows and an intricate ceiling. Presently, it exists as a place of worship for many religious groups including Roman Catholics, Protestant Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists with Trinity Zen. 

Trinity College Chapel 

In the Spring of 1872, Trinity College was forced to move campus'. The Longwalk is a collection of three buildings, Jarvis, Northram Towers, and Seabury which were constructed on Trinity Gallows Hills after they were forced to move. The college did not want to waste time and money on rebuilding entire building which is why the school hired an English architect, William Burges, to renovate a new campus which featured the long walk. Burges Specialized in High Victorian Gothic style architecture and promised to build "nothing less than one of the most extensive university buildings of the present day." Jarvis Hall was the first building in the long walk to be completed in 1878. The hall cost around $400,000 to build which increased tuition and decreased the presidents salary. It was built to be a dormitory which is still its use today. Jarvis Hall is named after Abraham Jarvis who was the second American Episcopal Bishop of the Episcopal bishop of Connecticut. He was born in Norwalk, Connecticut and graduated from Yale. The collection of three building including Jarvis that make up the Longwalk house 142 students, seven classrooms, four seminar rooms, and offices for professors and staff. The building underwent a 21st century renovation costing 33 million dollars due to an inspection in 2005 that revealed that iron cables important to the structure had rusted. Trinity College proceeded to conduct the largest renovation project the school has ever done to preserve the historical building. The dorms also lack sufficient lighting and air-conditioning. The project included stabilizing and reinforcing 88 stone dormers, restoring and replacing 1,200 windows, installing an new roof with 123,000 slate tiles and renovating the interior of the structure. Although the building underwent a massive renovation it still upholds its historical importance.

Jarvis Hall is a suite for students at Trinity College. It is one of three buildings that make up the long walk which was completed in 1878. The suites contain doubles, singles, bathrooms, and study areas. The building is one of the oldest structures on campus. The hall is 286 feet long, 35 feet wide, and 3 stories high and is divided into 7 entry ways in order to prevent fires. 

Jarvis Hall 

Designed by William Burges, follows a Neo Romanesque style building with medieval and post-medieval styles. It is located in Hartford, CT at the center of Trinity’s campus on long walk facing the main-quad. “Burges initially wanted Seabury to be built in a quadrangle fashion, but was forced to construct a long bar-like range, hence the name the long walk. Seabury Hall's beautiful silhouette now overlooks the green quad in the middle of campus.” Seabury Hall was built and named after Samuel Seabury. Seabury was a British loyalist who wrote open letters defending King George III and challenging Alexander Hamilton’s rising revolutionary rhetoric. Seabury was eventually imprisoned by the patriots for his views. He then later became loyal to the new American government and was consecrated as the first American Episcopal bishop and first bishop the Episcopal Church of Connecticut.The Long Walk was eventually named in Seabury’s honor and now houses the offices of the American Studies Department, Seabury Hall was first utilized in many different forms. From teaching to learning, Trinity’s first chapel was located within Seabury Hall. “Originally, Seabury contained the Trinity's chapel. The former chapel room has since been renovated into a lecture room, maintaining the pews for student seating.”  Seabury Hall looks out towards the capital city of Hartford. It is apart of the historical long walk along with Jarvis. Both Jarvis and Seabury were constructed and built at the same time serving as the first educational and dormitory buildings on campus. Seabury is, “286 feet long, 35 feet wide, and three stories high, but each longitudinal expanse is broken by a central tower four stories tall and crowned with a double-peaked roof.” Due to its long and tall structure, Seabury Hall remains one of the most historical buildings within the Trinity community serving multiple purposes for the school.Seabury Hall has constructed in a high victorian style with brownstone masonry displaying the Greek god iconic order in its detailing. The building was referred to as the college chapel during its first 20 years then transitioned into just Seabury hall. Seabury contains a number of classrooms, the post office, the union bookstore, the infirmary, faculty offices, a lounge for day students, and the rooms of the Tau alpha colony.

Seabury Hall built in 1878 is named after Samuel Seabury. Samuel Seabury was the first American Episopal Bishop and the first Bishop of Connecticut. Seabury Hall is unique to Trinity college for many reasons as it was the first building constructed on the Trinity College campus. Serving many different purposes, Seabury Hall consisted of seminar rooms, classrooms, professor’s offices, and originally contained the Trinity’s chapel.

Seabury Hall 

A 1927 Trinity Tripod Article describes the information of the namesake of Mather Hall, William Gwinn Mather '77 who offered Trinity its (then) new Chapel. "Mr. Mather" as he is called in the article, is the descendent of "one of the most famous Mathers in colonial days", Cotton and Increase Mather, who were "two eminent Puritan divines". His family spurred his intense devotion to the Mathers, and inspired him to donate to the "spiritual life of his college" through the Chapel. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio on September 22, 1857 and received a M.A. degree from Trinity College as well as being a brother of the Psi Upsilon fraternity, and then went on to study at Kenyon College Mather Hall seems to have been quite the hotspot for social activities, as a Trinity Tripod Article from October 22, 1960 explains new plans for "Widely Varied Activities to Enliven Mather Hall". These plans include a dance for freshmen and non-fraternity men and live bands and singers who will be performing jazz and classical music on Sunday afternoons. Additionally, the article unveils how there will be billiard matches against faculty members and free films, which will all be "common sights" in the weeks ahead since the article was published. The same article also writes of the multiple dances coming up, including a party on Military Ball Weekend (12/10/1960) and a "Soph Hop Weekend" (11/12/1960). Trinity appears to have offered numerous exciting events for students to experience, as recitals performed by the Low Madrigal Group of Cambridge, Mass and the Budapest String Quartet and Hartford Symphony String Ensemble were offered with a small fee. The 1988-89 Student Handbook gives the details of the renovation of Mather Hall which took place that year. Included in these renovations of William Gwinn Mather Hall, which was considered the "Campus Center", were the new student dining hall, a lounge titled the "Wean Lounge", a snack bar which is called "The Cave", and a coffee house named the Underground which is frequented quite often today. Additionally, there were game rooms added in these renovations, as well as a Post Office, Bookstore, Women's Center, and a headquarters for the Student Government Association. A large assembly hall called the Washington Room resides on the second floor, the handbook describes, as well as the Rittenberg Lounge and Alumni Lounge.

Mather Hall has and continues to be a staple of Trinity College. Although it is best known as the only dining hall on campus, it also houses a coffee shop, post office, school book store, offices, meeting rooms, and much more. It resides on the south side of campus, near the Jones and Elton Residence Halls, and faces the school library and Crescent townhouses. It was renovated around 1988 to include the many offices and places to eat that students now frequent every day. 

Mather Hall

The founding members of the Cinestudio was a group of devoted Trinity College students. Two of the founding members, James Hanley and Peter McMorris continued their careers in the theater department. They had the help of other Trinity students in 1970, who transformed a lecture hall into a theater hall equipped with amazing sound quality, projection, and a wide range of programming. Additionally, the design and decor of the Cinestudio has similarities in appearance to a classic theater, specifically, because of the elaborate gold screen curtain and balcony. However, the appearance of the Cinestudio is viewed as modernized due to the late 20th century creation. The founding students received help from Ralph Mauro from the National Theater Supply and Lonny Jennings at Dolby. Additionally, the theater is independent from Trinity College, despite its location in the Clement Chemistry Building.  In 1970 the grand opening took place and was sold out. It took place on February 16 and Alice’s Restaurant and The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine were shown, which heavily contributed to the success of the first night and days and years to come. Students loved the Cinestudio and it quickly became one of the most popular activities for Trinity students to participate in. The staff and founding members used the ticket sales from the first year to help pay for the cost of equipment, hardware, and construction, which would be utilized when renovating the auditorium. In addition to film and visual showings, the revamped auditorium was used to heighten students intellectual experience through lectures during the day. Some disciplines that have accessed the Cinestudio for academic benefits have largely been within the English and Religion departments. After the founding members creation of the studio, the Cinestudio became a student run project, which is a part of the Film Society program.  In 2002 the Cinestudio was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit arts organization. In 2007 the theater’s ticket booth was renamed to honor Fred Pfeil. Pfeil was a Trinity College professor who volunteered countless hours to the Cinestudio and was a Cinestudio Board Member. Currently, two of the founding members, Hanley and McMorris manage the operations and projections of the Cinestudio. The Cinestudio remains active seven days a week and continues to remain running with the help of Trinity students and community members.

The Cinestudio was founded in 1970 by a group of devoted Trinity College students, with the official grand opening on February 16. It was a recreation of a 1930s film house. It is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit arts organization. Additionally, the theater is independent from Trinity College, despite its location. Currently, the Cinestudio remains running with the help of 50 dedicated Trinity students and community volunteers. It includes all genres of movies, including filmmaker national film festival created by Trinity students and is running seven days a week. 

Cinestudio 

The Austin Arts Center gained exposure the following year, when it hosted many performances, including opera and plays. Arnold Franchetti, a famous composer at the time, hosted his world premier of "As a Conductor Dreams" in 1966. This was a catalyst for the Austin Arts Center, as they have been hosting both external performances and performances by Trinity students for over fifty years. It is still frequently used on Trinity's campus and has even added classrooms surrounding the auditorium. The Liberal Arts College relies on the Austin Arts Center for classes such as acting, music, and art, which is made easy with the help of a building focused primarily on art.

The Austin Arts Center at Trinity College officially opened in 1965 and received its name from A. Everett “Chick” Austin, Jr., founder of the Trinity Department of Fine Arts. Austin was also the former director of Hartford’s Wadsworth Atheneum, which was the first public art museum in America. The building was made possible with the tremendous support of the Trinity in the early 1960s. They took the initiative and began to raise money for the two and a half million-dollar project. 



Austin Arts Center at Trinity College

Roy Nutt, who passed away in 1990, graduated Trinity College with a degree in mathematics and went on to become a pioneer of computer systems programming. Roy's introduction to computers took place on Trinity College's campus and United Aircraft's research department in East Hartford, which is now the United Technologies Corporation. For the next six years following his graduation, Roy supervised research in the UA Machine Computing Laboratory and worked as a part-time instructor of mathematics at Trinity College. Roy was also one of the creators of the FORTRAN programming language and a co-founder Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), a global company that reportedly had 98,000 employees and revenue of $16 billion as of 2012. Roy and his wife, Ruth Nutt, both served on the board of Trinity College trustees and have a long history of generously supporting Trinity. The Nutt family gifted a $2.5 million donation during the Campaign for Trinity, which is one of the largest donations from an alumnus in Trinity's history. According to Mr. Nutt, "We provide these funds to Trinity with the hope that others will follow and in the surety that Trinity will go on to provide support and inspiration to the students in the future." The Nutt family donation propelled the building project for the construction of the Mathematics, Computing, Engineering Center forward. In 1988, Roy was the recipient of Trinity's Eigenbrodt Cup, the highest award that can be presented to an alumnus. In 2012, Trinity President James F. Jones, Jr., said that he thought naming the Mathematics, Computing, Engineering Center for Roy Nutt would majorly influence Trinity students in two ways: "First, as evidence and inspiration to future generations of the benefit of hard work, determination, and an entrepreneurial spirit; second, as an example of the importance of philanthropy and giving back to the organizations that have helped shape your education and career." The Roy Nutt Mathematics, Engineering and Computer Science Center is located on the perimeter of the southern quad of the Trinity College campus in Hartford, CT. The building is a rectilinear structure with two end towers and four stories of laboratories, classrooms, seminar rooms, and faculty offices and lounges. The $9.9-million academic center was finished in the spring of 1991, and was funded by the three year $50 million Campaign for Trinity. The construction of the building, at the time, was aligned with national goals to achieve world-class mathematics and science education by the year 2000.

In 1991, a 48,000 square foot facility designed by Cesar Pelli opened to Trinity College in Hartford, CT called the Mathematics, Computing, Engineering Center. Trinity's Mathematics, Computing, Engineering Center was rededicated on May 18, 2012 as the Roy Nutt Mathematics, Engineering and Computer Science Center, in honor of the leadership and legacy of the Trinity College alumnus Roy Nutt, class of 1953. 

Roy Nutt Mathematics, Engineering & Computer Science Center 

The Trinity College Koeppel Community Sports complex has stood on the south edge of campus since 2006. It was named in memory of former trustee Alfred J. Koeppel '54 by his family. The building was constructed by architects at Sasaki Associates, Inc. It was designed as an addition to the Learning Corridor of the Boy's and Girls club educational campus to provide a community space that is both educational and recreational for families in the surrounding neighborhoods. The rink opened with 10 community groups and over 1,000 Hartford school children participating in skating programs. The project was an estimated $15.5 million renovation featuring a collection of school funds and donations. The building was recognized and won an esteemed award in 2007 just one year after its grand opening. The award given to the Koeppel Center was the "2007 Facilities of Merit Award" from the Athletic Business Journal. The facility was one out of 10 facilities to win from 100 different entries. Many of the architects and designers who were apart of the creation were commended for their ability to turn a simple space into something illuminating and therefore elevating. It has been said that the Koeppel Community Center might be one of the first urban community centers that doubles as an athletic facility in that it also connects neighborhood families with a liberal arts school. In addition to the rink, the complex features an open two-story lobby with large glass windows, locker rooms, a weight room, and a skate-changing area. The architects decided to add a second level and built several rooms available for community meetings, gatherings, and special events. Trinity's newspaper the Trinity Tripod reported in 2009 the purchase of a new floor for the rink once the winter season finishes. The multi-purpose floor is used for special events that are held in Koeppel with the ability to put down the whole floor or only half. Trinity also purchased the floor because the Koeppel Center is the only space on campus that can hold the entire Trinity student body.

The Koeppel Community Sports Center was constructed and completed in November 2006. It is an multi-use facility that includes the Albert Creighton Williams ’64 Rink and holds 3,400 fans. The ice rink is a state of the art ice arena that is the home to the Trinity women's and men's ice hockey teams. The Sports Center also provides opportunities for other ice hockey and figure skating teams and organizations to use the ice creating a community space for mentoring programs in the Hartford area. 

Koeppel Community Sports Center 

Trinity College, founded in 1823, as a all male institution, is a private liberal arts college in Hartford Connecticut with outstanding academics and athletics. The Fall of 1969 was a pivotal year for Trinity as they admitted the inaugural class of women. For the last 146 years Trinity was only home to men and through the addition of women to the college, Trinity would be one of the first co-educated schools of this time. With coeducation came the addition and adaption to school activities, academics and athletics. With the newly admitted women on campus, they wanted to participate in college athletics. The first women's team was tennis in the Fall of 1970. Tennis was the first as it a coach who was coaching a mens team said he would do it, in addition to their already being courts and the women could bring everything else. The second team to be added to the roster for women's athletics was field hockey. The Trinity Reporter describes how field hockey came to school because of a certain person, “It was Ruth Wiggins '69 who brought field hockey to the College. Tina Poole Thomas '78 recalls that when she arrived at Trinity in 1974 - three years after creation of NESCAC and two years after passage of the Title IX legislation the team was still obliged to play on a field that was badly sodded, poorly maintained, and unlit. Their uniforms were hand me-down men's rugby shirts” which demonstrates the description of the field that the women’s field hockey team played on and dynamics of the sport. This was after the 1971 Title IX which described that there should be no discrimination based on sex at educational institutions, and athletics was considered a educational programs and activities. Even though the field was not ideal, the women described in the reporter that they loved playing and would adapt to the field conditions. They were lucky to be one of the first women’s teams at Trinity, and having there own field, was a privilege because not many women’s sports existed at Trinity during this time. The field hockey team dealt with the conditions of the field channeling their frustrations to their advantage. Unlike any opponent's field that the Bantams played, the field at Trinity was extremely unique. The field was the only one that ran east-west while every other schools field ran north-south. So, when the coin toss occurred at the beginning of the game, Trinity would choose to face west in the first half because they knew that in the second half, the opponent would be looking straight into the sun. This was an advantage to the Bantams. In addition, the field was on a slant as most of Trinity is on a hill. So when the official at the beginning of the game what do you want to choose, they would say uphill or downhill. The Trinity team would go uphill in the first half because of the sun setting. The description of this field is very eyeopening as the field in place now is state of the art with no bumps or puddles like the old grass field. The Campus Master Plan of 1997-1998 describes the plans to add a field hockey field. The Master Plan both describes and displays through drawings and photos that there was ample space for an additional field to be added. In the summer of 2002, the new astro turf field was created, to be used by the Field Hockey and Women’s Lacrosse teams. Both teams would not have to play on soaking wet grass anymore choosing to go uphill in the first half. They would be able to play on a synthetic flat surface that would allow for the Bantams game to change. The field is extremely fast and when you add water, which is extremely common to do for field hockey, the ball moves even faster. The field was dedicated to Robin L. Sheppard, the outstanding field hockey and lacrosse coach who had just transitioned from the field to the office, to be the Associate Athletic Director. This occurred during the Homecoming festivities of the Fall of 2003. According to the Winter 2003 Reporter, Sheppard lead her team to more than 450 victories, seven NCAA Division III championship tournaments, and two trips to the Final Four. In addition, she was selected as the National Field Hockey Coaches Association New England Coach of the Year in 1997 and was inducted into the Connecticut Field Hockey Hall of Fame and the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2002. The Robin L. Sheppard field was funded through the generous aid of Paul E. Raether '68, Nancy Dwyer '99 and the Dwyer Family, as well as donors to the Sheppard Fund.  For 16 years the Robin L. Sheppard Field was crucial to the success and advancement of both field hockey and lacrosse. The game of field hockey transformed from being played on grass to the transitioning to an artificial turf field where the ball did not hits bumps in the grass and you did not need to hit the heck out of the ball for it to move. The field was revamped in the summer of 2018 with a new developed surface which would allow the ball to move even faster during a field hockey game. With the redevelopment of the field came the addition of Kwik covered benches allowing for the teams to sit and seek shelter when training.

The Robin L. Sheppard field, first built in the summer of 2002, is a state of the art artificial astroturf field, home to the Trinity College Field Hockey and Women’s Lacrosse teams. The first field was dedicated to the 25 year award winning field hockey and women’s lacrosse coach, Robin Sheppard. The field was revamped and redone in the summer of 2018, adding a Kwik goal benches on the field for both the home and visitor teams. In the summer of 2019, there was an addition for a water irrigation sprinkler to allow for easier coverage of field watering. 


Trinity College Campus Tour

Vernon Social Center at Trinity College

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources